Catalan Baroque Poetry and Modernist Theater Trends

Francesc Vicenç Garcia and Baroque Poetry

Francesc Vicenç Garcia mastered morality in his poetry with a marked ironic slant. His poem regarding the lady who left an imprint is particularly representative of Baroque poetry, although it follows a long tradition. The fact that Francesc Vicenç Garcia’s lady is a discordant feature regarding the canons of female beauty in the classical descriptio puellae—where the lady was traditionally blonde—is significant. Chromatic elements are in play: the jarring black contrasts with canonical white metaphors. The hair is jet, the skin is ivory, and the neck is like snow. This pure play of contrasts is a metaphor for the passion of love that overcomes the lover, who observes the scene amazed (v. 9). It is a classic sonnet with decasyllabic verses and feminine rhyme (ABBA ABBA CDE CDE).

It is not a battle between two knights; the combat is a metaphor. In this poem, Francesc Vicenç Garcia speaks about a lady who is combing her hair with an ivory comb. While viewing her combing, the poet falls in love with the woman and cannot stop watching her. In this sonnet, Garcia uses the procedures of the Baroque, such as complex figures of speech and metaphors. He compares the hand and the comb moving through the hair to a fight, describing the woman's hair as fine jet (black) and suggesting that even blondes would feel envy.

The Evolution of Catalan Theater

A renewed and deep suffering became a characteristic of the movement's genres. Symbolist theater, inspired by the Belgian author Maurice Maeterlinck, is characterized by secondary characters in the plot and a staging stripped of decoration. Santiago Rusiñol and Adrià Gual are standout figures.

• Santiago Rusiñol (1861–1931): His works include L'alegria que passa, which features a decadentist symbolist style, and Cigales i formigues, which discusses the confrontation between the artist and society. He also authored L'auca del senyor Esteve (Barcelona, 1872–1943).
• Adrià Gual: Influenced by Richard Wagner's music drama, he created the Teatre Íntim and premiered Silenci. After a stay in Paris, his work evolved toward realism.

Regenerationist Theater and Social Critique

Regenerationist theater in Catalan-speaking countries came under the influence of the Norwegian author Henrik Ibsen. Its characteristics include a desire to denounce social issues, the revolting spirit of the characters, the moral and ideological revolution generated by the drama, and the realism of the action and language. Notable authors include:

• Ignasi Iglésias (Sant Andreu de Palomar, 1871 – Barcelona, 1928): He published many works, including La resclosa and Fructidor, and advocated for the free expression of feelings.
• Joan Puig i Ferreter (La Selva del Camp, 1882 – Paris, 1956): He emphasizes Aigües encantades, where he considers regenerationist terms by combating superstitious tradition in defense of modernity, change, and proactive action.